Warrior
Scott Carl Rechsteiner (born July 29, 1962) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Scott Steiner. Steiner wrestled in World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as The Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order (nWo). He also wrestled for Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment andTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling.1 In the 1990s and 2000s, Steiner competed in pay-per-view main events in the WWF, WCW and TNA. As a singles wrestler, Steiner is a one time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a two time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, a two time WCW World Television Champion. He also became the seventh Triple Crown Champion in WCW's history. Steiner is also a successful tag team wrestler, as a twelve time World Tag Team Champion (seven times in World Championship Wrestling, twice in the World Wrestling Federation and twice in New Japan Pro Wrestling with Rick and once in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling with Booker T). Early career Rechsteiner trained under Dr. Jerry Graham Jr. at Torio's Health Club in Toledo, Ohio, and debuted under his real name in the Toledo-based World Wrestling Association in 1986. On August 14, 1986, in Dearborn, Michigan, Rechsteiner defeated The Great Wojo for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship. He held the title until May 3, 1987, when he lost it back to Wojo in Toledo. He then formed a tag team with his trainer, Graham. On October 6, 1987, they defeated Chris Carter and Mohammad Saad for the WWA World Tag Team Championship. On December 6, they lost the title to Carter and Don Kent.3 In 1988, Rechsteiner joined the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association under his real name. He formed a tag team with Billy Joe Travis, and defeated the Cuban Choir Boys for the CWA World Tag Team Championship on May 29. On June 6, they lost the title to Gary Young and Don Bass. Rechsteiner and Travis regained the title on June 27, and lost it to The Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) on August 15. Rechsteiner formed a new tag team with Jed Grundy, and on February 18, 1989, they dethroned CWA World Tag Team Champions Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden. Rechsteiner's third and final CWA reign ended on February 25, when Fuller and Golden regained the title. He left the CWA soon after. Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling (1988–1992) Main article: The Steiner Brothers Rechsteiner, under the ring name Scott Steiner, debuted in World Championship Wrestling at Starrcade, cheering on his brother Rick as he defeated Mike Rotunda for the NWA World Television Championship. After Rick lost the title back to Rotunda at Chi-Town Rumble, Scott and Rick began teaming together. On November 1, 1989, in Atlanta, Georgia, The Steiner Brothers defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. They held the title for over five months before losing it toDoom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) in Washington, D.C., at Capital Combat.3 The Steiner Brothers defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane) for the NWA United States Tag Team Championship on August 24, inEast Rutherford, New Jersey. During their title reign, WCW withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance (in January 1991) and the title was renamed the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. The Steiner Brothers competed in a WarGames match at WrestleWar 1991, which received a five star rating from The Wrestling Observer. After winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship on February 18, they vacated the United States Tag Team Championship, on February 20. After they won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki at the WCW/New Japan Supershow on March 21, announcers began referring to them as "Triple Crown Champions".3 In 1990, Steiner began wrestling in singles matches. WCW's weekend TBS shows (Power Hour, Saturday Night, and Main Event), featured the WCW/NWA Gauntlet Series, in which a wrestler was selected to face a different top star on each show that weekend, winning $10,000 if they defeated all three. Steiner was the first to successfully "run the gauntlet" from September 21-23, defeating Bobby Eaton, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. On January 30, 1991, Steiner had a WCW World Heavyweight Championship match against Flair at Clash of the Champions XIV: Dixie Dynamite, which ended in a time limit draw. He won the WCW World Television Championship on September 29, 1992. The Steiner Brothers left WCW for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) that November, after a contract dispute with WCW Executive Vice President Bill Watts.34 World Wrestling Federation (1992–1994) The Steiner Brothers made their WWF television debut with a promo on the December 21, 1992 episode of Prime Time Wrestling. They appeared on the debut episode of Raw on January 11, 1993. Their pay-per-view debut came on January 24, at the 1993 Royal Rumble, where they defeated The Beverly Brothers (Blake and Beau). At WrestleMania IX on April 4, The Steiner Brothers defeated The Headshrinkers (Samu and Fatu).3 After WrestleMania, The Steiner Brothers feuded with Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster). At King of the Ring on June 13, The Steiner Brothers and The Smokin' Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Headshrinkers and Money Inc. in an eight-man tag match. The following evening in Columbus, Ohio, on the June 14 episode of Raw, The Steiner Brothers defeated Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team Championship. Money Inc. regained the title on June 16, at a house show in Rockford, Illinois, and lost it back to The Steiner Brothers at another house show, on June 19, in St. Louis, Missouri.3 The Steiner Brothers defended the title against The Heavenly Bodies (Tom Prichard and Jimmy Del Ray) at SummerSlam on August 30. On the September 13 episode of Raw in New York, New York, The Steiner Brothers defended the title against The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) in a "Province of Quebec Rules" match, wherein the title could change hands via disqualification. The match ended when the manager of The Quebecers, Johnny Polo, threw a hockey stick into the ring and Scott caught it. When the referee saw Scott holding the foreign object, he disqualified The Steiner Brothers and awarded the title to The Quebecers. Scott defeated Pierre in a singles match the following week on Raw.3 Steiner competed in the elimination match main event of Survivor Series, marking his only headlining WWF pay-per-view appearance. On January 22, 1994, Scott Steiner was the first entrant in the Royal Rumble. After nine minutes, he was eliminated by Diesel. Following this, the Steiner Brothers left the WWF in mid-1994.3 Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995) On July 28, 1995, The Steiner Brothers debuted in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), at The Orange County Fairgrounds in Middletown, New York, defeating Dudley Dudley and Vampire Warrior. On August 4, in The Flagstaff in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, they defeated Dudley Dudley and 2 Cold Scorpio. They made their ECW Arena debut on August 5, at Wrestlepalooza, teaming with Eddie Guerrero to lose to Scorpio, Dean Malenko, and Cactus Jack. On August 25, in Jim Thorpe, they defeated Scorpio and Malenko, and defeated Scorpio and Chris Benoit the following evening. On August 28, they defeated Deoraj Dudley and Dances With Dudley in the Big Apple Dinner Theater in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.5 At Gangstas' Paradise on September 16, they teamed with Taz and lost to The Eliminators (John Kronus and Perry Saturn) and Jason. On September 23, in Middletown, they defeated Raven and Stevie Richards. Scott Steiner made his final ECW appearance on October 28, teaming with Taz and losing to The Eliminators. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2006–2010) Steiner debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling at Destination X 2006, before making his Impact! debut on March 18, identifying himself as Jeff Jarrett's bodyguard. In subsequent weeks, he attacked TNA wrestlers and staff, demanding to be hired. At Lockdown on April 23, Steiner, Jarrett, and America's Most Wanted lost to Sting, A.J. Styles, Ron Killings, and Rhino in a Lethal Lockdown match. Steiner and Jarrett then challenged Sting and a partner of his choosing to face them at Sacrifice on May 14. Sting hinted at three potential partners (Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger and Rick Steiner) before choosing Samoa Joe. Sting and Joe defeated Steiner and Jarrett. After failing to defeat Sting to qualify for the third King of the Mountain match, Steiner lost to Samoa Joe at Slammiversary. At Victory Road, he faced Joe, Sting, and Christian Cage in a four-way bout to decide the number one contender for Jarrett's NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Sting pinned Steiner to win, and Steiner resumed his role as Jarrett's bodyguard. He then faced Christian Cage on the August 10 Impact, and was in Jarrett's corner at Hard Justice before disappearing from TNA. On February 8, 2007, Steiner returned as NWA World Heavyweight Champion Christian Cage's "special consultant", in Cage's match with Kurt Angle at Against All Odds, interfering to cost Angle the match and joining Christian's Coalition. Steiner eliminated Angle in a Gauntlet Match to determine a number one contender, then lost to him at Destination X. At Lockdown, Steiner was part of Team Cage, which lost to Team Angle in a Lethal Lockdown match. At Sacrifice, the Steiner Brothers reunited. They were scheduled to wrestle Team 3D in a "dream match" at Slammiversary, but Scott was replaced by Road Warrior Animal after suffering a severe throat injury (see below).14 Steiner returned on July 15, at Victory Road, costing Brother Ray a match. At Bound for Glory, The Steiner Brothers defeated Team 3D in a 2-out-of-3 Tables Match. At Genesis, they unsuccessfully challenged the tag team champions, Tomko and A.J. Styles. Steiner in a house show in TNA. At Turning Point Steiner competed in the "Feast or Fired Battle Royal", winning a briefcase containing a contract for a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match. On the December 13 episode of''Impact!, he beat Petey Williams, B.G. James, and Christopher Daniels. Following the match, Jim Cornette offered him $50,000 for his briefcase, which he refused. Steiner then switched briefcases withPetey Williams (whose contained an X Division Title contract), stating afterwards he would get his original briefcase back the next week. At Against All Odds, Steiner defeated Williams to win both briefcases, after a distraction from an unknown woman later introduced as Rhaka Khan. After winning both cases, Steiner issued a challenge to anyone, which Williams answered. Williams lost after more interference by Khan. Steiner then took Williams as his protégé and gave him the X Division briefcase on the April 17 edition of ''Impact!. Later that night, Williams cashed in the opportunity, beating Jay Lethal for the X Division title with the Canadian Destroyer. At Sacrifice on May 11, Steiner cashed in his briefcase and faced Samoa Joe for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. He lost, and tore his ACL, sidelining him and requiring surgery. Main article: The Main Event Mafia Steiner with The Main Event Mafia On the October 30 Impact!, Steiner returned, joining The Main Event Mafia and attacking several wrestlers with a lead pipe. On the November 13 Impact!, he turned on former protégé Petey Williams after Williams tried to talk with him about the Main Event Mafia situation. Steiner threw him off a ladder and the Main Event Mafia attacked him backstage. At Genesis, Mick Foley, A.J. Styles and Brother Devon defeated Steiner, Booker T, and Cute Kip when Foley pinned Steiner after a double underhook DDT onto a steel chair. At Against All Odds, Steiner pinned Williams after a Steiner Screwdriver to end their feud. Steiner and Booker T then formed a tag team. At Victory Road, they defeated Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode) for the World Tag Team Championship. At Bound for Glory, they lost the title to The British Invasion in a four way Full Metal Mayhem Tag Team match (which also included Team 3D and Beer Money).15 On the following episode of Impact!, Angle announced the disbanding of the Main Event Mafia, which Steiner refused to accept.16 Steiner then feuded with Bobby Lashley, defeating him in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at Turning Point.17 The next month, at Final Resolution, Lashley defeated Steiner in a Last Man Standing match.18 On February 4, 2010, Steiner's profile was removed from TNA's official website.19 His departure from the company was confirmed the following week.20 * Nicknames ** "White Thunder"1 ** "Superstar"1 ** "Big Poppa Pump"1 ** "The Big Bad Booty Daddy"1 ** "The Genetic Freak"1 ** "Freakzilla"63